Staran - Gold from Ruins (2025) [Hi-Res]

The musical collective Staran has released its second album, "Gold From Ruins," bringing together the same crack team of renowned and in-demand Scottish musicians as for their debut. The band features pianist/percussionist John Lowrie (the driving force), vocalist Kim Carnie, bassist James Lindsay (Breabach), fiddler Adam Smedley (Rura), and guitarist Innes White. The album's title reflects its concept: most of the 10 tracks, while original compositions, are seeded in fragments of ancient songs, stories, and folklore, with the remainder being Gaelic songs arranged by Carnie. Special guests, including Julie Fowlis, Matt Carmichael (tenor sax), Ailis Sutherland (small pipes), and a string section led by Seonaid Aitken, were brought in to expand the sound.

The album opens with the atmospheric ambient intro "The Turning," followed by Lowrie's piano piece "Meta’s," showcasing his characteristic, Hornsby-esque style, a fusion of piano, bass, fiddle, and strings. The first vocal track, "Duan Callaig" (a Gaelic song reworked by Carnie), features the harmonious blend of Carnie and Fowlis's voices, supported by exemplary string arrangement. Smedley's composition "Time to Fly" is a fast-flowing instrumental track by the core band, while "Roro," a new Gaelic song by Carnie, highlights Lindsay's lyrical acoustic bass playing and Carmichael's soft tenor sax tone in a fine piece of folk-jazz. The more traditionally Highland-styled track "Skirr" transitions into complex arrangements by Lowrie, and the Gaelic lament "Colla Mo Rùin" introduces Sutherland's small pipes. The instrumental co-writes "Cherish The Day" (Lowrie/Drever) and "Redhythe Point" (Smedley) showcase the core band's quality of play. The penultimate song, "Gura Thall Ann An Sòigh" (Carnie's trad. arr.), sees Fowlis return for a spine-tingling harmony. The album concludes with Lindsay's composition "Jinibara," a statuesque distillation of all eight musicians (core band, Carmichael, and string quartet), affirming the strength of Scottish music.



Tracklist:
1-1 Staran - the turning [1:22]
1-2 Staran - Meta's [3:38]
1-3 Staran;Julie Fowlis - Duan Callaig [3:44]
1-4 Staran - Time to Fly [3:53]
1-5 Staran - Roro [3:44]
1-6 Staran;Matt Carmichael - Skírr [4:05]
1-7 Staran;Ailis Sutherland - Cholla mo Rùin [3:26]
1-8 Staran - Cherish the Day / Redhythe Point [5:47]
1-9 Staran;Julie Fowlis - Gura thall ann an Sòaigh [4:37]
1-10 Staran - Jinibara [5:30]